Viktor
| birth_place = Calgary, Alberta, Canada | death_date = | death_place = | resides = | billed = | trainer = Tokyo Joe | debut = 2000 | retired = }} Eric Thompson (December 4, 1980), is a Canadian professional wrestler who was previously signed to WWE under the ring name Viktor. He has also worked as APOC for Ohio Valley Wrestling, as well as WFX Wrestling. He has also worked for Stampede Wrestling in Canada. Professional wrestling career Independent circuit (2001-2011) Apoc began his career in the Hart Dungeon, under the teachings of Bruce and Ross Hart. He also received training under Tokyo Joe. He started working for Stampede Wrestling in 2001 as Bishop, later to be renamed "Apocalypse" which he continued to work as until 2008. In Stampede Wrestling, he won the North American Heavyweight Championship. He also held the International Tag Team Championship twice with partner Dave Swift. He did a tour with New Japan Pro Wrestling as "The Shadow" in November–December 2003. In his first match, he teamed with Scott Norton against Josh Barnett and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. He also had matches with Manabu Nakanishi and Tenzan. In addition, he teamed with Norton frequently on the tour. APOC would debut under the name Apocalypse for Derby City Wrestling in a thirty-man battle royal, which was eventually would be won by Electrico. Apocalypse would team up with Al Barone to take part in the DCW Tag Team Title Tournament but were defeated by Damian Adams & Jamin Olivencia in the first round. Apocalypse got to the final of the DCW Championship Tournament but would lose to Big Cat. For the rest of 2008, Apocalypse would form multiple tag teams with Kharn Alexander, Vaughn Lilas and Fang. On January 16, 2008, APOC would debut under his new name Erik Doom and lost to Justin LaRouche. He would continue to lose most of his matches which is customary in nearly all wrestling promotions. Doom and Kharn Alexander lost to Los Locos (Ramon & Raul) in a match for the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship. He went back to his old name, Apocalypse before being renamed Apoc in late spring. On May 21, Apoc toke on Nick Dinsmore for the OVW Heavyweight Championship but lost. Apoc teamed with Vaughn Lilas for several months before winning the OVW Southern Tag Team Championship from Darriel Kelly & Josh Lowry. The team would lose the titles to Dirty Money & Scott Cardinal in a championship vs $1000 match. After the lose the team would split and the two began feuding for the OVW Heavyweight Championship which Vaughn was currently holding. In February, Apoc beat Vaughn for the championship and would hold it for two months before losing it to Vaughn once again and regaining the championship in May. He would go on to lose the championship to Low Rider. While wrestling in Canada in 2010, Apoc primarily wrestled for WFX Wrestling and Prairie Wrestling Alliance. He took on Jack Sloan for the PWA Canadian Heavyweight Championship twice but failed both times. He formed a stable with Kevin Thorn and Gangrel and took part in WFX Tag Team Championship Tournament but went out in the first round. He would go on to feud with the PWA Mayhem Champion Randy Myers, after losing a few times, APOC defeated Myers in a two out of three falls match for the championship. World Wrestling Entertainment Developmental territories (2011-2013) In February 2011, Thompson signed a developmental contract with WWE and was assigned to their developmental territory Florida Championship Wrestling under the ring name Rick Victor. Victor made his televised in-ring debut for on the May 29, 2011 episode of FCW TV, teaming with Leo Kruger in a loss to Hunico and Epico On the July 31 episode of FCW TV, Victor challenged Seth Rollins for his FCW 15 Championship, but was defeated. From April to May 2012, Victor formed an association with the Anti-Divas (Sofia Cortez and Paige). At a FCW live event on June 16, 2012, Victor defeated Seth Rollins to win the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship for the first time. Immediately afterwards, he lost the title to Bo Dallas in another match. He regained the title from Dallas at another FCW live event on July 13, 2012, making him a two-time champion. He lost the title to Richie Steamboat a week later. On July 28, 2012, Victor won the Florida Tag Team Championship with Brad Maddox. When WWE rebranded its developmental territory, FCW, into NXT Wrestling, Victor's NXT television debut took place on the first episode of the rebooted WWE NXT taped at Full Sail University, where he lost to Bo Dallas. On the July 12 episode of NXT, Victor confronted and slapped the NXT Champion, Seth Rollins, leading to Rollins facing and defeating Victor in a non-title match on the July 19, 2012 NXT. The Ascension (2013-2019) Victor resurfaced nearly a year later in NXT when he became Conor O'Brian's partner in the Ascension. On September 12, 2013, the Ascension won the NXT Tag Team Championship. On November 10, 2013, Victor was given the name "Viktor". On February 27, 2014 at NXT Arrival, he and Konnor successfully defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against Too Cool. On May 29, 2014 at NXT Takeover, they would again retain the NXT Tag Team Championship titles against El Local and Kalisto. A NXT Tag Team Tournament was set up for the winning team to become the #1 contenders to face the Ascension at NXT Takeover II. On September 3, the team of Kalisto and Sin Cara won the tournament to become the #1 contenders and will face the Ascension at Takeover II. At Takeover II, The Ascension lost their NXT Tag Team Championship to Lucha Dragons. Still upset after losing the titles earlier that night, Viktor along with Konnor interrupted Hideo Itami's debut segment and proceeded to attack Itami and then demand a rematch. Itami recovered and cleared the ring of both members of the Ascension. Both members of the Ascension would continue their assault on Itami until Itami brought the debuting Finn Bálor on the November 6th episode of NXT to help stop the Ascension. A tag match between the Ascension and the team of Itami and Bálor was announced for the NXT Takeover: R Evolution special event. At NXT Takeover: R Evolution, The Ascension lost against Bálor, with a war paint look, and Itami at the special event. On the December 12 episode of Smackdown, a vignette aired for their call-up to the main roster. On the December 29th edition of Raw, they made their official main roster debut by defeating The Miz and Damien Mizdow. They made their Smackdown debut on January 2 when they defeated local wrestlers in a squash match. Extending their winning streak through more wins over local wrestlers, The Ascension would also criticize legendary WWE tag teams including Demolition and The Road Warriors. On the January 19th edition of Raw, also known as Raw Reunion on that night, The Ascension would confront the reuniting members of the New World Order members Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and X-Pac, and were about to attack them before they were interrupted and brought down by the Acolytes Protection Agency and the New Age Outlaws. Later that night it was announced that a tag match was set up between the Ascension and New Age Outlaws at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. The Ascension would then defeat the New Age Outlaws at the event, continuing their winning streak. Viktor was released by WWE on December 8, 2019. In wrestling *'Finishing moves' **''Canadian Lifter'' / Psycho Crusher (Flying European uppercut) - FCW ** STO - 2014 ;used as a signature thereafter ** Fade to Black (Crucifix Piledriver) ** Falling Tiger Driver *'With Conor O'Brian' **''Fall of Man'' (Legsweep (Konnor) / Spinning back elbow (Viktor) combination) *'Entrance music' **"Hell's Army" by Neal Acree & Robert Anthony Navarro (FCW/NXT; 2012) **"Let Battle Commence" by Daniel Nielsen (NXT; 2013–2014; used while teaming with Konnor as part of The Ascension) **"Rebellion" by CFO$ (NXT; 2014–2019; used while teaming with Konnor as part of The Ascension) Championships and accomplishments *'Florida Championship Wrestling' **FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship (2 times) **FCW Florida Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Brad Maddox *'Ohio Valley Wrestling' **OVW Heavyweight Championship (2 times) **OVW Southern Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Vaughn Lilas *'Prairie Wrestling Alliance' **PWA Heavyweight Championship **PWA Mayhem Championship *'Pro Wrestling Illustrated' **PWI ranked him #'258' of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2013 *'Stampede Wrestling' **Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Dave Swift **Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (1 time) *'WWE NXT' **NXT Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Konnor External links * WWE.com Profile * Viktor CageMatch Profile * Viktor Twitter Profile * Rick Victor profile at GENICKBRUCH.com Category:1980 births Category:2000 debuts Category:Alberta wrestlers Category:Canadian wrestlers Category:Derby City Wrestling alumni Category:Florida Championship Wrestling alumni Category:Ohio Valley Wrestling alumni Category:Prairie Wrestling Alliance alumni Category:Stampede Wrestling alumni Category:World Wrestling Entertainment alumni Category:Wrestling Fan Xperience alumni Category:WWE NXT alumni Category:Living people Category:Male wrestlers Category:Elimination Chamber Match alumni Category:FCW Florida Heavyweight Champions Category:FCW Florida Tag Team Champions Category:NXT Tag Team Champions